Rt Hon Winston Peters is a New Zealand politician [4] and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, roles he has held since November 2023 [12][18].
Peters was educated at the University of Auckland [7], where he is reported to have obtained a BA and an LLB degree, according to a single reputable secondary source [8][9]. Before entering politics, he worked as a primary and secondary school teacher [6] and qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor [1]. He also represented New Zealand Māori in rugby [3].
Peters first entered Parliament as the Member of Parliament for Hunua, with sources placing his entry at either 1978 or 24 May 1979 [23]. He was affiliated with the National Party from 1978 [40]. He subsequently became the Member of Parliament for Tauranga from 1984 [25]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he later held the seat of Member of Parliament for Northland from March 2015 [24].
Peters served as the 35th Minister of Māori Affairs from 2 November 1990, according to a single reputable secondary source [14]. He founded and has led New Zealand First, with sources indicating his leadership of the party began from 1993 [20][41][42]. Following the 1996 election, he served as Treasurer in the National/New Zealand First Coalition, according to a single reputable secondary source [38], and sources also record him as Deputy Prime Minister from that period, though sources disagree on the exact start dates, with variants placing the commencement in 1996, 2017, and 2023 respectively [17][19].
Peters has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs across multiple parliamentary terms, with sources indicating tenures beginning in 2005, 2017, and 2023, though sources disagree on the precise dates [34][36]. He also served as Acting Prime Minister from 21 June 2018, according to a single reputable secondary source [16]. He has held the portfolio of Minister for Racing across multiple terms [29][30][31], and according to a single reputable secondary source, became the 29th Minister for Rail from 11 December 2024 [13].